Students show an interest in Ron Paul
John Anderson
Issue date: 11/15/07 Section: News
About 75 community members and students attended a presentation about presidential hopeful Ron Paul Saturday.
The event, organized by two local groups - Students of Hillsdale College for Ron Paul and Hillsdale for Ron Paul - featured former congressman and Paul colleague Nick Smith and Professor of Economics Gary Wolfram under the title, "Who is Dr. Ron Paul?"
They spoke of Paul as a principled man who has the courage to stand against the trend of ever-increasing spending that threatens to bankrupt the U.S. government.
The event reflects a growing interest in Paul on campus. Students in attendance, although generally conservative and inclined to support some of Paul's policies, disagree with the candidate on key issues, particularly his opposition to the Iraq War and his advocacy for a rapid withdrawal of U.S. forces.
Some questioned the effect his radical transformation of government would have on national unity and foreign relations.
"We were attacked, so how can he say the [Iraq situation] isn't our business?" said senior Lynn Wilhelm, who said she agrees with Paul's economic policies.
Junior Wendy Bateman said she would support Paul all the way to the White House, seeing in his candidacy a needed return to conservative values - values she said the Republican Party has largely abandoned and that Paul's fellow Republican candidates only pretend to possess.
"[Paul] is different," Bateman said, "He's real in a way [other Republican candidates] are not."
Paul is a libertarian Republican congressman running for president.
His platform, based on a non-interventionist foreign policy, the abolition of many federal agencies and a strict Constitutionalist interpretation of federal powers, has drawn significant controversy, and grassroots support, from around the nation.
He has raised millions of dollars from thousands of relatively small donations. In the third quarter of 2007, Paul's campaign raised $5.1 million, well exceeding initial expectations. On Nov. 5, the Paul campaign raised more than $4.2 million in a 24-hour period from 37,000 donors, contributing an average of $150 per person.
Sophomore Andrew Untal said he supports all of Ron Paul's ideas, but is afraid that implementing them would destroy national unity.
"For 60 years, we've been going in the New Deal, social welfare direction," Untal said. "Now all state governments have become dependent on the federal government. [Paul's policies] might be destructive."
Senior Josh Klooz said he is concerned by Paul's confrontational policies.
"He's an ideologue at heart, and I don't think he sees enough of the spectrum to be an effective representative for our country," he said. "Most of what he says makes sense, but he doesn't know how to sell it."
Senior Aaron Mead said he intends to support Ron Paul, but only as a protest vote.
"I don't want to see a person like Giuliani or McCain elected," Mead said.
Mead said he does not feel that Paul would make an ideal president, fearing the isolationism that a Paul presidency might bring.
"Ron Paul would pull us out of the world abruptly, and that would be damaging," he said.
Hillsdale College Collegian, 2007
The event, organized by two local groups - Students of Hillsdale College for Ron Paul and Hillsdale for Ron Paul - featured former congressman and Paul colleague Nick Smith and Professor of Economics Gary Wolfram under the title, "Who is Dr. Ron Paul?"
They spoke of Paul as a principled man who has the courage to stand against the trend of ever-increasing spending that threatens to bankrupt the U.S. government.
The event reflects a growing interest in Paul on campus. Students in attendance, although generally conservative and inclined to support some of Paul's policies, disagree with the candidate on key issues, particularly his opposition to the Iraq War and his advocacy for a rapid withdrawal of U.S. forces.
Some questioned the effect his radical transformation of government would have on national unity and foreign relations.
"We were attacked, so how can he say the [Iraq situation] isn't our business?" said senior Lynn Wilhelm, who said she agrees with Paul's economic policies.
Junior Wendy Bateman said she would support Paul all the way to the White House, seeing in his candidacy a needed return to conservative values - values she said the Republican Party has largely abandoned and that Paul's fellow Republican candidates only pretend to possess.
"[Paul] is different," Bateman said, "He's real in a way [other Republican candidates] are not."
Paul is a libertarian Republican congressman running for president.
His platform, based on a non-interventionist foreign policy, the abolition of many federal agencies and a strict Constitutionalist interpretation of federal powers, has drawn significant controversy, and grassroots support, from around the nation.
He has raised millions of dollars from thousands of relatively small donations. In the third quarter of 2007, Paul's campaign raised $5.1 million, well exceeding initial expectations. On Nov. 5, the Paul campaign raised more than $4.2 million in a 24-hour period from 37,000 donors, contributing an average of $150 per person.
Sophomore Andrew Untal said he supports all of Ron Paul's ideas, but is afraid that implementing them would destroy national unity.
"For 60 years, we've been going in the New Deal, social welfare direction," Untal said. "Now all state governments have become dependent on the federal government. [Paul's policies] might be destructive."
Senior Josh Klooz said he is concerned by Paul's confrontational policies.
"He's an ideologue at heart, and I don't think he sees enough of the spectrum to be an effective representative for our country," he said. "Most of what he says makes sense, but he doesn't know how to sell it."
Senior Aaron Mead said he intends to support Ron Paul, but only as a protest vote.
"I don't want to see a person like Giuliani or McCain elected," Mead said.
Mead said he does not feel that Paul would make an ideal president, fearing the isolationism that a Paul presidency might bring.
"Ron Paul would pull us out of the world abruptly, and that would be damaging," he said.
Hillsdale College Collegian, 2007
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Marty
posted 11/15/07 @ 3:42 PM EST
In response to Lynn Wilhelm's opinion about the Iraq War:
America was attacked by operatives of an international terrorist network, al-Qaeda, and there is no obvious link between the perpetrators of the 9/11 attacks and the nation of Iraq. (Continued…)
Ron Paul fan
posted 2/19/09 @ 1:35 AM EST
While I consider myself pretty liberal, I'm impressed by Ron Paul's integrity and ideas. Just check out his voting record. He's voted against protectionism, against the Iraq war, against the Patriot Act, etc. (Continued…)
Katie
posted 2/19/09 @ 4:11 PM EST
Libertarian Republican seems to be kind of an oxymoron.
Post a Comment